Side splash mud-guard.



H. V. N. GRAVELEY. SIDE SPLASH MUD GUARD. APPLICATION FILED APR. 12, 191.2,

Patented Mani), 1915.

Inventor Witnesses Y m w E w V R A s on m G N H THE NORRIS PETERS co., PHOTDJITHQ, WAShnvwun, u. u,

rinrr'a s'ra rns arena ornroa HARRY VOLLER Nonnrs GRAVELEY, 01? LONDON, ENGLAND.

SIDE SPLASH MUD-GUARD.

Application filed April 12, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY VoLLnR hlonnrs GRAVELEY, traveler, subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 5 The Crest, Hendon, London, N., England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Belating to Side Splash Mud-Guards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved construction of side splash mud-guards. In one form or construction of such mudguards, a central bearing has been fixed to the axle cap or hub of the wheel upon which has been mounted with intervening roller bearings, an annular ring carrying arms connected by links to the said mudguard located below the horizontal axis of the wheel, and above by a tensional device attached to the upper mudguard or to the body of the vehicle.

The object of the invention, is firstly, to construct the body of the mudguard in two parts connected together by links, secondly to provide means for allowing the guard to yield laterally, thirdly, to provide an i mproved construction of central bearing which is adapted to surround the axle box or hub and also to effect improvements in the suspensory attachments and tensional devices above the horizontal axis of the wheel.

My invention will be fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figures 1 and 2 are front and side elevation of a mudguard for the wheels of motor, and other road vehicles constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 3 is a cross section of the central bearing of my improved mud guard.

My improved mud guard which is located at the side and below the horizontal axis of the wheel preferably near the ground is constructed in two parts an upper portion a and a lower portion ,7). The upper portion a of the mudguard which is bent U-shaped, is connected by links 19 p to a metal sheath a fixed by screws to the lower portion Z; of the mudguard which consists of a sheet of rubber.

To enable the guard also to yield laterally the supporting links cl (Z are jointed at 03 to shaft :0 upon which the upper portion a of the mudguard is loosely mounted and the latter is furnished with a spring or springs 00 connected at one end to the shaft to revert the guard to its normal position.

Specification of Ietters Patent.

Patented Man 9, 1915,

Serial No. 760,767.

The central bearing according to this invention is in the form of a hanger block it and surrounds the axle box or hub of the wheel. The side arms f support the side splash mud guard by means of links d d which are controlled by springs Z Z.

The supports for my improved mudguard consist of stays or tensional devices 1% m which are connected to the upper portion of the hanger block it and extend diagonally upward and are suspended by a rope r from the pulley a in the manner hereinafter described. The hanger block may be constructed in one piece as shown or it may be in two halves fitted together in any suitable manner, or may be the actual outer rin of the ball bearing so formed as to hold the said tensional devices hereinbefore mentioned.

The hanger block it is preferably fitted with ball or roller bearings as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. The ball race is formed by an outer removable channeled o1 annular ring 2' which is fixed in place by screws or bolts, and by an inner removable channeled or annular ring j. The latter is locked in position by lock ring is secured by screws and the whole is securely locked on to hub of wheel by means of hub dust cap, or other suitable device.

The means of supporting my improved mudguard by ball or roller bearings upon the axle box or hub of the wheel as described produces a minimum of friction but otherwise allows the mudguard to'swing too freely with the motion of the vehicle. This tendency to oscillation, is however, adequately restrained by the employment of tensional devices connected to the body of vehicle or the upper mud guard which overhangs the upper portion of the wheel. These tensional devices comprise outer tubular members m m into which are introduced spiral springs g g through which the ends of the rope r are passed such ends having fixed to them end pieces 8 8. Upon the tubular portions m m are fixed end nuts or caps 25 t which serve as abutments for the ends of the springs g whereby when the rope 1' is passed around the sus pended grooved pulley a the tendency of my improved mudguard to oscillation due to the motion of the vehicle will produce a corresponding compression of one or other The grooved pulley or roller 20 may be suspended by a direct rope wire or chain connection to the upper mudguard u with merely an intervening spring to absorb the vibrations transmitted to the suspended pulley 'u but I prefer, however, to make use of the following suspensory attachment for more effectually damping such vibrations. These means comprise a yoke 11 provided with lower bifurcated end fitted with cross pin upon which is loosely mounted to re volve freely thereon suspended pulley or roller u. The upper end of this yoke is knuckle jointed at w to a screw shank w. This shank screws into an adjusting screw union h an exactly similar knuckle-joint arrangement w coupling the same to the suspending rope y. This rope is passed through the bent tube as where it enters the top tube or casing y for containing the tensional device for absorbing or damping vibration. Such casing is fixed to the top mudguard or in other suitable position by means of the bolts 2. The damping" means is somewhat similar to the tensional devices guard pivotally suspended from the hanger, a pulley yieldably suspended from the vehi ole, a pair of tubular members carried by the hanger, springs in the members, and a cable passing over the pulley and having its ends connected to the springs.

In witness whereof I have signed this specification in presence of two witnesses. HARRY -VOLLER NORRIS GRAVELEY. lVitnesses ,O. J. ORTH,

IV. E. Rooms.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

